Evil is so widespread
that humanity itself would be destroyed in a nuclear holocaust in the
event of a world war. It is to prevent such a catastrophe that this
present Avatar has come to raise human consciousness above the existing
syndrome of anger, hate, violence and war and save the world from
disaster. There will be minor wars and skirmishes. (Baba in 1976 in SM)

Baba's Mission

I incarnate from age to
age, time to time, to save dharma from anti-dharma. Whenever strife,
discord and disharmony overwhelm the world, God incarnates in human form
to show mankind the way to love, harmony and peace. The Avatar takes the
human form and behaves in a human way so that humanity can feel kinship
with the divinity. At the same time he rises to godly heights so that
mankind also can aspire to reach God. The realization of the indwelling
God as the motivator of life is the task for which Avatars come in human
form. The godliness which is present in everybody in the form of a
little spark exists in me as the full flame, and it is my mission to
develop every little spark of God in everyone to the fullness of the
divine flame. The first imperative of this development is that the
receiver of the grace also provides from his or her side the devotion
necessary to the consummation. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

Baba is a Full
Manifestation of God

In my present Avatar, I
have come armed with the fullness of the power of formless God to
correct mankind, raise human consciousness and put people back on the
right path of truth, righteousness, peace and love to divinity. (Baba in
1976 in SM, 1985) The present Avatar has come invested with the totality
of cosmic power to save dharma (righteousness) from anti-dharma. (Baba
in 1976 in SM, 1985) I am everything, everywhere, omniscient,
omnipotent, and omnipresent; and so whatever I will, instantly happens.
(Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

How the Avatar Works

There are two ways in
which an Avatar can help people: an instant solution as against a
long-term one. Any instant solution would go against the fundamental
quality of nature itself as well as the karmic law of cause and effect.
Most people live in the material world of their desires and ego, which
is governed by this law. They reap the fruits of their actions. This
brings about their evolution or devolution. If the Avatar intervenes to
instantly solve their problems, it would stop all action, development,
even evolution. This solution can be ruled out because it totally
negates the natural laws. The other and more effective alternative
presents a long-term solution whereby the Avatar leads the people
themselves to a higher level of consciousness to enable them to
understand the truth of spiritual laws so that they may turn towards
righteousness and steadfastly work for better conditions. This will
relate them back to nature and the karmic law of causation. They would
then transcend the cycle of cause and effect in which today they are
involved as victims and thereby command and control the natural forces
to be able to avert the calamities you mention. (Baba in 1976 in SM,
1985)

[Men will] become
shareholders of my Sankalpa Shakti (divine power, universal energy). I
have to work through them, rouse the in-dwelling God in them and evolve
them to a higher reality in order to enable them to master the natural
laws and forces. If I cure everything instantly, leaving the people at
their present level of consciousness, they would soon mess up things and
be at one another's throats again with the result that the same chaotic
situation would develop in the world.

Suffering and misery are
the inescapable acts of the cosmic drama. God does not decree these
calamities but man invites them by way of retribution for his own evil
deeds. This is corrective punishment which induces mankind to give up
the wrong path and return to the right path so that he may experience
the godlike condition of sat-chit-Ananda -- that is, an existence of
wisdom and bliss. All this is part of the grand synthesis in which the
negatives serve to glorify the positives. Thus death glorifies
immortality, ignorance glorifies wisdom, misery glorifies bliss, night
glorifies dawn.

So, ... if the Avatar
brings the calamities mentioned by you to an immediate end, which I can,
and do, when there is a great need, the whole drama of creation with its
karmic (universal, inescapable duty) law will collapse. Remember, these
calamities occur not because of what God has made of man but really
because of what man has made of man. Therefore, man has to be unmade and
remade with his ego destroyed and replaced by a transcendent
consciousness, so that he may rise above the karmic to command. (Baba in
1976 in SM, 1985)

Shirdi Sai

The previous Avatar,
Shirdi Baba, laid the base for secular integration and gave mankind the
message [that] duty is work. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

Sathya Sai

The mission of the
present Avatar is to make everybody realize that [the] same God or
divinity resides in everyone. People should respect, love, and help each
other irrespective of color or creed. Thus all work can become a way of
worship. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

Prema Sai

Prema Sai, the third
Avatar, will promote the evangel news that not only does God reside in
everybody, but everybody is God. That will be the final wisdom which
will enable every man and woman to go to God. (Sai Baba in 1976 in SM,
1985)

The Three Sais

The three Avatars carry
the triple message of work, worship, and wisdom. .... [The holy mission
and divine purpose of the triple incarnation is] to unite all mankind
into one caste or family in the establishment of the unity -- that is,
Atmic realization -- in every man or woman, which is the basis on which
the entire cosmic design rests. Once this is realized, the common divine
heritage that binds man to man and man to God will become apparent and
love shall prevail as the guiding light of the universe. (Baba in 1976
in SM, 1985)

Humanity One Family

Once this primary lesson
[of harmony in word, deed, and thought] is taught in the family, the
school, the college, the society, the cities, the states, the nations of
the world, then man will become conscious of the fact that all mankind
belongs to one family. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

Everything points to the
terror of [a thermonuclear] conflagration coming; and my mission is to
preempt the fires by reestablishing dharma and the spiritual law of one
God, one religion, one language [of the heart] embracing one humanity.
... I want to build one humanity without any religious, caste or other
barriers in a universal empire of love which could enable my devotees to
feel the whole world as their family. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

I preach only one
religion of love for all, which alone can integrate the human race into
a brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God. I know only one
language of the heart beyond the mind and intellect which relates man to
man and mankind to God, thereby creating mutual understanding,
cooperation and community life in peace and harmony. On this basis I
want to build one humanity without any religious caste or other barriers
in a universal empire of love which would enable my devotees to feel the
whole world as their own family. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

Science

How can science which is
bound to a physical and materialist outlook investigate transcendental
phenomena beyond its scope, reach or comprehension? This is a fallacy on
the face of it. One belongs to the material and the other to a spiritual
plane. Science must confine its inquiry only to things belonging to the
human senses, while spiritualism transcends the senses. If you want to
understand the nature of spiritual power you can do so only through the
path of spirituality and not science. What science has been able to
unravel is merely a fraction of the cosmic phenomena; it tends, however,
to exaggerate its contribution.

... The very fact that
science is changing all the time proves its incapacity to investigate
the ultimate and absolute truth. Some time ago scientists maintained
that the atom cannot be broken, but recently they succeeded in breaking
it. They are still ignorant about the realities of the pranic force
behind the atom, which is the least of its components.

Science is a mere
glow-worm in the light and splendor of the sun. It is true that it can
research, discover and gather a lot of information about nature and its
material functions and use it for the development of worldly things.
Spiritualism, on the other hand, reigns over the cosmic field where
science has no place. That is why some discoveries of science are useful
while others can be disastrous. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

Choose Spiritual
Values

We need to transform
society from false to real values. We have to convince people that the
ideal of a high standard of life is wrong. It must be replaced with a
high level of living and thinking on the basis of humility, morality,
compassion and detachment, as against the existing greed for competitive
luxury and conspicuous consumption. People have to be convinced that the
only way to rouse the latent divinity in them is to master desires and
conquer greed for pleasure and luxury instead of being a slave to these
false materialistic values. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

It is the spiritual path
that can save this country and the world from the wrongs of a
materialistic order. What we need is a synthesis of the spiritual and
material aspects of life. That will provide man with the social
conscience and cooperative spirit imperative to the creation of national
wealth and prosperity through selfless, cooperative labor. (Baba in 1976
in SM, 1985)

Curb your desires,
reduce your wants, live in spiritual austerity, and the available
material will be sufficient for humanity. More than that, the tensions
of a competitive socioeconomic system will be dissolved and peace of
mind will be restored. (Baba in 1976 in SM, 1985)

1978

Time Not Ready for
Publicity

[Hislop:] Leelas
[miracles] are happening throughout India in tens of millions of homes.
Swami keeps His hand down so that publicity about the Leelas will not
spread. The rulers of the country know, but they keep it quiet. If the
facts were to have publicity, millions would converge on Swami. The
Government would surround Him with security guards, and devotees could
not get close to Him. The time is not ready. (CSSB, 1978, 27)

Baba's Declarations
about the Golden Age

Presently, there is
great disorder amongst both politicians and students. This will continue
for a time, but at a certain point Swami will step in and bring about
some order. (CSSB, 1978, 100)

SAI: Crime has become
very bad in India. There is no safety.

JOHN HISLOP: Swami, this
is not particular to India. The same is true all over the world. How
will it end?

SAI: To the good. In a
few years, all will be peaceful.

JH: But Swami, it is
getting worse, and it is the Kali Yuga (a world period of diminishing
virtue).

SAI: No. It is not as
bad now as it was. It is like in the ocean. There is a time of high
waves, and there may be some peak waves that crash heavily on the shore,
but this is followed by a calm and peaceful sea.

JH: Many people are
saying that, very shortly, we will enter a period of great catastrophe.

SAI: There may be some
peak waves, as I mentioned, but the world will be happy, peaceful, and
prosperous.

GUEST: No world war?

SAI: No. No world war.

JH: We are fortunate to
be alive so that we may see this peaceful world.

SAI: You will all see
it. Even the old men will live to see it.

GUEST: Then Prema Sai
will not have much work to do! Swami will have made the world peaceful.

SAI: That is some 40
years away. At that time the world will be peaceful. That is the Name:
Prema Sai. All will be love -- love, love, love everywhere.

GUEST: It would be good
to be reborn in the time of Prema Sai!

SAI: It is best to merge
with God. No rebirth. (From Dec. 1978 talk in MBI, 188-9)

Foster Righteousness

If God Himself is here
to foster Dharma, and you engage yourself in the same task, then you are
worshipping Him. Then you are near and dear to Him, for you are serving
Him, His devotees, and yourself. (CSSB, 1978, 41)

1979

Baba's Mission

God has incarnated in
human form, in order to inspire man to follow higher ideals not only in
India but foreign countries also. (SSS, XI, 14; from talk given Dec. 25,
1979)

Humanity is One
Family

There is only one race
really, and that is the race of mankind. We now consider petty
distinctions of nationality, race, religion and language as vital and
hold back Love which must flow to every one from the heart. (SSS, XI,
14; from talk given Dec. 25, 1 979)

1980

Baba on the Coming
Golden Age

SAI: In all countries
there is a rapid deterioration of the human quality.

JOHN HISLOP: When will
it change for the better?

SAI: Soon there will be
a change.

JH: When is soon, Swami?
Twenty years? Ten years?

SAI: No. Now. Already
there is some slight improvement in India. One cause of the general
deterioration in the world is rapid communication. This allows
advertising and publicity to have a strong influence on people. Your
American election is an illustration of how the leaders are television
actors.

JH: Swami, there is no
evidence of a change for the better.

SAI: If there is a
change, it will be a universal change. Not local. It will occur every
place.

JH: This rapid
world-wide communication also results in common knowledge of how to
build an atom bomb. Is there not a great danger of some small nation
using the bomb?

SAI: The danger is not
of someone using the bomb. People are no longer afraid of death from the
bomb. So long as they can pursue their objective of getting money, they
are willing to risk death and to die. It is not the bomb that is the
danger; it is the mind that is the danger. The bomb exists only as an
instrument of the mind. The need is for a change of mind.

JH: But Swami, people do
not care to learn about that. They have no interest in Swami or in
listening to him.

SAI: Minds can and do
change. For example, the life style of people can be so bad that they
become ashamed and change. The hippies' life style is so low and so
dishonest and immoral that groups of hippies, observing their own life
reflected in another group, become ashamed and of themselves they
change.

JH: Well, at least
Swami's devotees know about changing the mind and can do so.

SAI: Were it not for the
mind change of Sai devotees the world would already have fallen into
complete chaos. The deterioration of mind and man has been very rapid
and abrupt, even precipitous during the last fifteen years. That the
world is not in total destruction is due to the change in mind of Sai
devotees and to Sai's Grace. You are not aware of it, just as you are
not aware of your eyes until they are lost. In the same way, the world
is not aware of Sai's Grace. (Baba on November 7, 1980 in MBI, 189-9 0)

1981

Baba on the Golden
Age

Many people are scared
because they believe that the Kali Age in which we live will witness the
ultimate Deluge. Others call it the Kalaha Age, the Age of Conflict, for
it is now well-nigh omnipresent. No, no. This age is the Golden Age for
the seekers of God, for earning and learning Viveka. (SSS, XI, 186; from
talk given June 11, 1981)

1982

Earth Changes

There will be physical
repercussions because of growing selfishness, minor adjustments to the
planet, and a certain clear-out. (SSBEL, 1982, 21)

Baba's Mission

To meet the needs of
different ages, God sends sages and Divine Incarnations to sustain human
life on Earth. These living examples of Divine Law lead ideal lives and
guide humanity in the disciplines needed to live according to the Divine
Plan for each Age. (EVJC, 1982, 66)

I have come to revive
the ancient wisdom contained in the scriptures of every religion. (EVJC,
1982)

JOHN HISLOP: When Swami
says He will confer liberation at death, what does that mean?

SAI: It means that birth
is finished with, there is no more birth again.

JH: But Swami, there is
this temporary liberation that was mentioned. Maybe it is that kind?

SAI: No, it is not like
that. Sai gives total, final liberation. (MBI, c1985, 203; talk with
Baba on Dec. 2, 1982)

Golden Age must Recur

The Will of God cannot
be stopped. The events God ordains must take place. The joyful Golden
Age will recur. (EVJC, 1982, 12)

Knowledge Of Baba
Will Spread Slowly And Naturally

JOHN HISLOP: Swami has
said that the entire world will know of his presence. At this time only
a relatively few people know of Sai. As of now only local individuals
represent him, and they do not draw the attention of people of substance
and importance throughout the world.

SAI: Sai does not look
at status and worldly importance. He looks at the heart.

JH: Yes, Swami, but it
is the leaders in society who tend to arouse the attention and interest
of the general population.

SAI: Sai does not force
such things. He will be in [the] body for many more years. What you
refer to will develop naturally. Devotees of world stature, able to
speak of Sai, will be present when the time is correct for them. (MBI,
c1985, 205; from talk with Baba, Dec. 2, 1982)

Time of Change in
Avatar's Career

After age 60, Sai will
directly give added strength to the minds of those persons who are
actively working with Him. Now is starting a time of change [in the
career of the Avatar]. It is just as when a strong wind comes up and
blows away the husks, leaving only the sound kernels. In these times,
many devotees will fall away from Sai, leaving only those devotees whose
faith is sound and solid. (MBI, c1985, 204; talk with Baba on Dec. 2,
1982)

1982- Baba's Desire

I want each and every
one of you to reach the highest spiritual state. I wish each of you to
know the joy of full Unity with God. (EVJC, 1982, 80.)

Hold Satsang

It is wise to form a
spiritual study circle with others who are honestly seeking the
spiritual life. Exchange truths, discuss virtues, and listen to the
glories of the Lord. (EVJC, 1982, 26)

Connect with Others

Look at the "other
person". Try to discover a point of contact, not a point of conflict.
Use your knowledge to make yourself kinder. Don't worry about failure;
life will become worth living. (EVJC, 1982, 47)

See God in Everyone

You must see that all
persons are simply different faces covering the Divine Face of God.
Attempting to hate God is the height of ignorance. There is no room in
your lives for hatred of anyone. (EVJC, 1982, 86)

To see all things as One
you must expand your outlook. You must develop a broad loving heart.
Selfishness must disappear. You must find the greater meaning of life -
Godliness. ... Striving to lead godly lives is the only truly sacred
behavior. (EVJC, 198 2, 87)

Serve

If you wish to blossom
forth as your true Self, your Higher Divine Nature, you must spend the
life given you serving humanity with great humility and no concern for
selfish gain. (EVJC, 1982, 76)

Sai Organizations

The Sai Organization may
be limited in size now, but as time goes on, it will attract so many
people that the general public will not be able to be accommodated in
the Sai gatherings. All available spaces will be assigned to the people
within the Sai Organization. Thus, the Sai Organization membership
affords a chance. (MBI, c1985, 209; from talk with Baba, Dec. 2, 1982)

1983

Sai Avatar

The Sai Avatar is the
only such where his Divinity is known to all peoples of all religions.
Never has there been that before. With Krishna, only the Gopis were
aware of him as God. (MBI, c1985, 212; talk with Baba, Jan. 10, 1983)

Swami ... builds slowly,
but it is firm and sound and it continues. (MBI, c1985, 213; talk with
Baba, Jan. 10, 1983)

1984

On Life in the
Universe

The question about life
in the universe arises because you project your own particular
circumstances. You feel that other ways of life would be intolerable
because such ways of life would be intolerable for you. In the hot,
blazing Sun, for instance, beings are living. This life exists in
circumstances considered to be intolerable by you. Elsewhere in the
universe, life feels it is Divinity, is one with Divinity, and is quiet
happy, and feeling all is right. ... This small planet Earth is very
special. It is unique in the universe. One who can understand the
mystery of the Earth is great indeed. He is infinite. (MBI, c1985, 226;
Oct. 23, 1984)

1985

Baba and America

[Phyllis Krystal:] At
about the same time as the announcement of the Rome Conference [c.
1982-3], Baba had given instructions for the American Sai centers to
start organizing open public meetings to introduce him and his teachings
to a larger audience. It was clear that he was getting ready to bring
his message to the rest of the world. He has said that on his sixtieth
birthday he will announce his special mission to bring balance into the
world chaos fast accelerating everywhere. (SBUE, 1985, 272)

Servants of Sai

Men who are my dasas
(servants) are full of love. They stand by dharma or
righteousness. They speak the truth. Their hearts melt with mercy. They
are devoid of wrong conduct. They avoid sin; they will renounce
everything gladly. They act in moderation. They are engaged in doing
good to others. They are not selfish. They are not worried by doubts.
They do not lend their ears to flattery. They are eager to listen to the
praise of others. (GOS, 1985, 84)

Opportunity Baba
Presents

Today, this day, [the]
precious elixir of knowledge is ours if we are sufficiently awake to
reach out and take it. This precious knowledge is available to us in the
teachings of that extraordinary being, the divine Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Full release from the turning of the wheel of birth, death, and rebirth
may be ours now, in this brief lifetime, now that we know of Baba; and
if we have the good sense to pay careful attention to his teachings and
the will to take appropriate action. However, if we, by our carelessness
and inattention, gloss over this extraordinary and unique opportunity,
who can say to what distant shore we will be carried by the hurricane of
karmic consequences readying itself to manifest as another of our
continuing existences? (MBI, c1985, 83)

Here to me is one of the
most wonderful miracles of Sathya Sai Baba. The fettered heart, turning
to Baba, can be free from all its bondage. Seeing him, being sure that
he will not betray, is a most wonderful feeling. With joy the heart
responds to this trust. With each day, love for Baba grows stronger. He
is divine Mother and Father to his devotee. One may love him without
reserve, without guard, without fear, however guarded one may still be
with fellow human beings. (Hislop in MBI, c1985, 64)

Baba is a Towering
Personality

Sri Sathya Sai Baba is a
towering personage in the world today. His stature in the eyes of men
will grow to a supreme height before death removes him into the realm of
history. A thousand years from now, five thousand years from now Baba's
correspondence will be a treasure for historians as well as for people
of that age whose hearts are pulled to him as they read of his glorious
life. (MBI, c1985, 231)

1986

He is Parabrahman

[Devaraha Baba:] He is
Parabrahma incarnate. ... The Lord incarnate has strictly forbidden the
siddhas to mention this fact to anyone. As such we cannot even discuss
the matter among ourselves. This mystery about the incarnation of
Bhagawan Sainath can be discussed briefly only in the company of the
highly realized Sadhaks, who are really inquisitive. ... The time is not
far off when seers, sages and saints from all over the country will
assemble in Puttaparthi to receive the blessings of the Lord incarnate.
(SBNNGA, 1990, 35-6)

Difficulty of
Realizing God with Form

It is very difficult for
people who stay around me to understand that I am Bhagawan. Only a
Sadhak who is ever alert may succeed. (SSBNNGA, 48)

Baba's Promise

Mankind can and will
be saved. ("Christmas Message, 1986," SMFYM, II, 1988, 37)

Use This Opportunity

My children awaken now
while the divine Avatar is here to guide you. The way ahead is clear,
sign-posted through the teachings of the Lord, and you have this unique
opportunity to escape from the darkness into light simply by putting
those teachings into practice in your daily lives.

Open your hearts and let
the love flow, knowing that love can overcome all barriers. See God in
everyone and everything and become part of the universal whole which is
My reality. ("Birthday Message, 1986," SMFYM, II, 1988, 28)

My children, the time of
awakening has come and that time is NOW. But for many of you it will
pass without any positive action or participation on your part until,
one day, you experience something traumatic which finally awakens you
from your placid sleep. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1986, 31-2)

1987

Liberation is the
Goal of Life

Liberation is the goal
of mankind: release from the constant cycle of birth and death. It is
desire and the craving for material pleasures that bind man to the earth
plane, and he will only find liberation through purification and
enlightenment. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 56)

The integration of all
mankind will come in the course of time and it will result from better
understanding of the truth. I am the truth and I have come to teach the
truth so that man can escape from darkness, ignorance and illusion. It
is these which have led man to experience antagonism, hatred and even
war.

My children, God is
love, you are God, and you should awaken to that truth. See the light,
live in light, and let love blossom in your hearts so that it lights up
the world and cleanses it of the evil and the ignorance of the present
age. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 43)

Your future is assured
once you find your own self, the divinity within, the real you, the
child of the living God who lives deep in your heart. (SMFYM, II, 1988;
c1987, 45)

Man's Stagnation

Man tends to stagnate on
the earth plane, even though the awakening may have begun. The same
habits and desires have ruled his life for so long that he finds it
difficult to change. But change is essential if you want to move
forward. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c19 87, 64)

Golden Age is Man's
Creation

The Golden Age is the
creation of man, not of God. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 71)

Transition has Begun

The transition from that
unhappy state to the state of bliss cannot be achieved overnight, but
the changes have begun and the seeds are sown. Man is living at the dawn
of a Golden Age and he himself will determine the timing of the
transition by his own acts and thoughts. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 71)

The time has indeed come
for a great awakening, when the days of ignorance and illusion are
replaced by a new Golden Age. That Golden Age is here now, just waiting
for man to move into it and find the peace that has eluded him all this
time. (SMFYM, II, 19 88; c1987, 73-4)

Day of Awakening is
Here

The day of awakening is
here and the day of reckoning, or weeding out, is not far away. The
cleansing of the world will take place and only those awakened
souls will be left to experience life in the divine state. Others will
fall by the wayside, left behind and lost in a world of illusion and
darkness.

When the Lord incarnates
in human form it is a time of great opportunity for those who are ready.
All of you here today have that opportunity, but that alone is no
guarantee of liberation. Much effort is required, also an irreversible
commitment to the spiritual path, leaving behind for ever the life of
illusion with all its worldly desires, attachments and false values. So
long as desire remains, you cannot firmly establish your feet on the
spiritual path.

Surrender to the Lord
and love Him as He loves you, then extend that love to all mankind, for
the Lord is in all. Only in this way can you find true peace, happiness
and ultimate bliss. ("Christmas (II) [1987]," SMFYM, II, 1988, 63)

Although the Golden Age
lies in the future, man can prepare himself by turning to God and living
his life in complete harmony with the Infinite. That is possible now, if
you surrender your will to God and dedicate your life to Him. You will
become His instrument and, in that capacity, you will find fulfillment
through service to humanity. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 70)

Human Family is One

The unity of mankind is
the goal.

Unity will come only
through love, the motivating force which flows throughout the universe.
That love, that motivating force, is God, and all of you are part of it.
(SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 73)

The unity of mankind
will come when man becomes awakened and when he allows love to flow from
his heart all the time. Then he will recognise the same love in others
and see them as they really are, part of himself, part of God, divine.

Divinity cannot be
divided into separate parts, so how can man himself be separated?

An understanding of this
basic truth is the key to the future of mankind. The time has indeed
come for a great awakening, when the days of ignorance and illusion are
replaced by a new Golden Age. That Golden Age is here now, just waiting
for man to move into it and find the peace that has eluded him all this
time.

Everyone has the
opportunity to enter the new Golden Age. But each one has a choice, the
free will, to decide his own future, whether he wishes to continue
living in the wilderness, a life of illusion, or move forward along the
spiritual path and enter the new Golden Age.

Perfect peace awaits him
at the end of the path which leads to ultimate liberation. (SMFYM, II,
1988; c1987, 74)

What the Golden Age
will be Like

When the Golden Age
dawns there will be harmony throughout the world and love will flow
everywhere. All thoughts of hatred will disappear. Today you cannot
visualize such a state because there is chaos everywhere, fighting,
scheming, hatred, evil; all the negative emotions are in the ascendant.
But eventually the change will come. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 70)

The arrival of the
Golden Age shall be heralded by a new coming as well as some upheavals,
sufficient to uproot the evil that is so prevalent today. (SMFYM, II,
1988; c1987, 70)

Use This Opportunity
Fully

My children, the time
has come for a great awakening of mankind. You are the leaders and I
have given you this great opportunity to join in the work of the Lord.
Do not lose the opportunity to help lead mankind out of the wilderness,
back to the divine state. That state exists now, if only you can light
the lamp of love which is in the heart of every living soul. (SMFYM, II,
1988; c1987, 65)

Man is sick, engrossed
in physical and material pursuits which will lead him nowhere. Yet he
continues blindly, imagining that his present way of life will
eventually bring him success and some form of satisfaction. But he is
mistaken and his vision is clouded by illusion. What is he really doing?
He is doing nothing of any consequence, merely wasting his precious time
and ignoring the divine opportunity which he has been given by the Lord
in this lifetime. All of you have the same opportunity, a chance to see
the light in this lifetime; otherwise you would not be here. ("Christmas
[1987]," SMFYM, II, 1988, 62)

Only the Spiritual
Path is Fruitful

Arise, My children,
awaken to the truth, listen to the word of God and know that only the
spiritual path can lead you out of the wilderness. Love is the key, love
is the way. Open your heart and let the love flow. (SMFYM, II, 1988;
c1987, 64)

Spiritually Advanced
Souls are Alive to Help

Many spiritually
advanced souls are here today, full of understanding, and they all have
a part to play in helping humanity. Often, much effort and sacrifice are
required because the task of spreading the truth is never easy. Too many
prejudices exist from the past. However, the world is crying out in
agony, and there are more and more people everywhere searching for the
truth and seeking a light to draw them out of their darkness. You have
the chance to radiate that light and you should join in this great work.

So, in your lives, by
your examples, live and practice My message, knowing that some will
understand and others will not. Have no concern with the outcome of your
efforts, for some people are ready and others are not. Each one is free
to go his own way in his own time. Many will choose to remain in
darkness with all the attachments that hold them back from the true
path. But, eventually, their time will come and, one day, all will be
re-united in the Kingdom of God. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 58)

Start Now

It is the only path, the
divine path, and it is there in front of you now. Start the new journey
hand in hand with God at this very moment and never turn back. The path
ahead is glorious and will bring peace of mind, something which has
eluded you for so long. And the Lord will always be there to guide and
protect you. (SMFYM, II, 1988; 1987, 45)

The Lord is omnipresent
and appears in human form from age to age. Many of you have seen the
Lord, but others should know that the Lord is always present everywhere,
dwelling in your heart. He remains awake, even while you sleep a sleep
which continues for decades before you become awakened.

Now is the time for that
awakening, the awakening of man to the truth. The days of illusion and
wrong living should be put behind you for they lead nowhere. ... Once
you experience this awakening, you leave behind you for ever the
attachment to materialism and the illusion that goes with it. Instead,
you live on the divine level and place yourself in the hands of the Lord
who looks after all your needs.

Christmas is truly a
time of celebration and the Lord waits patiently, watching for signs of
an awakening of those souls who have been struggling in the darkness for
so long. The Lord has shown the way and many have heard the call.
Everyone here today should listen again to that call and leave behind
them their lives of illusion and attachment to materialism, a type of
life that conceals the truth and the way ahead. Turn, instead, to the
spiritual path and realise your own divinity. That indeed would be
something to celebrate! I will always be with you to help and sustain
you. ("Christmas [1987]," SMFYM, II, 1988, 53-4)

The Avatar will Lead
You

Today, the divine Avatar
is here to lead man back from the brink, back towards the ultimate goal
which is liberation and the merging, once again, with God. The process
has begun and many are now following the spiritual path, the road to
ultimate liberation. (SMFYM, II, 1988; c1987, 56)

1990

Reason the Lord Comes
in Human Form

People could not stand
the Lord in super-human form. ... If the Lord came in all His majesty
people would be afraid and would have nom opportunity to know and love
him. It is only when the Lord comes in a human body that people are able
to approach him and learn to love him and know him even a little bit.
But one should not make the mistake of thinking that is all there is.
... For instance, the airplane flying high in the sky descends to the
airport. But one should not make the mistake of thinking that the plane
is a ground machine because they see it on the ground. In like fashion,
although the Lord has made a landing here on earth, so to speak, He is
not limited to His human form. (SV, 1990, 66)

Sai is the Totality
of Divine Energy

The totality of Divine
Energy has come unto humanity as Sathya Sai. ... This is a human form in
which every Divine Entity, every Divine Principle that is to say, all
the names and forms ascribed by man to God are manifest. (GDOE, 1990,
31)

Attempts to Win
Baba's Grace

Once in Prashanthi
Nilayam ... a lady got up from the last row and spoke loudly, "Swami! I
need your Grace." The lady repeated these words a number of times. ...
Suddenly, the Lord stopped, turned towards her and said, "Grace, grace.
Do you really know the meaning of Grace?" The lady replied, "Swami, it
means your compassion, your blessings." Baba said, "No, it means much
more than that. If you really want My Grace you should prepare yourself
to face every type of calamity. You will lose all your wealth and
happiness and still instead of crying and repenting you will have to
completely merge yourself in meditating upon me and utter my name in
your heart. Your near and dear ones will turn against you. People will
implicate you in conspiracies with which you have nothing to do. They
will find faults with you where you are totally innocent. Under all such
circumstances, you will have simply to think of Me and Me alone and
suffer everything silently. Come on, are you prepared to face all these
things?" The lady was stunned. She could not utter a word and sat down
quietly. (SBNNGA, II, 1990, 31)

Baba [refers] to two
ways of getting His favour by the devotees. He calls one of them ...
entry through the front door and the other ... entry through the back
door. Some scholars, Sadhaks, and artists among His devotees expect an
interview or a miracle in their favour on the basis of their scholarship
or Sadhana or love and execution of performing arts. But these people do
not succeed as they want their entry through the back door. They have an
inflated ego and carry the impression that because they are some one in
particular they are bound to get the favour of the Lord. There are
others who are simple minded and egoless devotees. They have nothing to
fall back upon except their true love and devotion to the Lord and want
entry through the front door. (SBNNGA, II, 1990, 68-9)

Universal Acceptance
of Sai Avatar Predicted

My name and form will
... be found getting established everywhere. They will occupy every inch
of the world. (GDOE, 1990, 37)

Success of Mission
Guaranteed

The success of the task
for which I have come will very soon reverberate throughout the world. (GDOE,
1990, 58)

A silent revolution is
going to pass through every structure of human society. Those who are
present in this hall and all those who have total faith in Sai, though
they may not be here, have a golden opportunity of earning My grace and
thus [achieving] their goal; i.e., Liberation. If you miss it, you miss
it for ever. (SBNNGA, II, 1990, 74)

[Justice V.B. Eradi:]
Bhagawan has declared that His objective is to bring about a global
integration of the entire mankind where the whole human race will be
united as one world-family, knit together by strong bonds of mutual love
and respect believing in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of
man. The recent most unexpected developments in the international
sphere, such as the sudden termination of the cold war, the removal of
walls and barriers separating Eastern and Western Europe and the most
welcome signs of establishment of friendly relations between the "Big
Super Powers", which were hitherto ranged on opposite sides and were
piling up nuclear and conventional weapons for use against each other,
are clear signs that the divine Sankalpa is fast taking concrete shape.
Bhagawan has His own time schedule for completion of His programmes. ...
The day ... when the whole humanity gets unified as one big family
observing strictly the principles of Truth, Righteousness, Love, Peace
and Nonviolence ... will mark the establishment of the Sai Rashtra and
blessed indeed are those who will be able to experience that Heaven on
earth. (SV, 1990, 25)

Our Mission

Your mission has begun.
... Each of you has a unique and valuable part to play in this lifetime.
Only those whom I have called can serve me.

My Mission has now
reached that point in time when each one of you now has work to do. This
planet has a purpose in the great galaxy in which it is held. That
purpose is now unfolding before your eyes. I call upon you to radiate
the Devotion within you so that its unseen power will envelop all who
come into your orbit. To successfully perform your part always remains
centered upon me. Allow yourself to impart that purity of heart within
you towards all human beings and all living creatures and do not reach
for the fruits of your work. This part of My Mission is performed in
absolute silence. You are My instruments from whom My love will pour. Be
always aware that the moment you let your ego descend upon you, My work
ceases. When you have overcome your negative unmindfulness you will
again become My source. The multiplication of My Love will be felt
throughout the world. I have drawn you to Me. I have made great steps in
My Mission over these past Incarnations.

My work is ceaseless and
so your work, too, is without end. Know that I am within you and without
you. There is no difference. Rid yourselves of petty matters for ever
more. You are now ME and I am now THEE. There is no difference. My
Darshan will pour forth from ME to and through you. You may be unaware
of this constant action. Be ever pure in heart and soul, and mankind in
your lifetime will benefit from your unique qualities. (SV, 1990, 126)

1991

The Kali Yuga

Today the world is sick,
poisoned by man. (SSSBFM, 1991, 224)

The world situation
today is dreadful and frightening. Wherever you turn, fear confronts
you. Whether you remain at home or go out into the street, whether you
travel by train or walk on the road, fear haunts you. The world is
enveloped in fear. If you want to banish this fear, you have to develop
firm faith in God as the sole refuge. Then you are freed from fear. (SS,
Vol. 34, No. 1, Jan. 1991, 10)

Men today are lost in
the pursuit of fleeting sensuous pleasures and material possessions.
(SS, Vol. 34, No. 6, June 1991, 151)

[A] Rise in income has
been followed by a decline in morality. With the collapse in morals, the
nation has become a prey to violence and disorder. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 9,
Sept. 1991, 251)

In the competition for
over-reaching each other, men are immersed in selfishness and are
pursuing wrong courses. Politics and economics are bedeviled by crises.
Men are driven by caste and religious conflicts. The appetite for power
and position has become insatiable.

These are causing the
disintegration of the sacred land of Bharat. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 6, June
1991, 151)

With the collapse in
morals, the nation has become a prey to violence and disorder. (SS, Vol.
34, No. 9, Sept. 1991, 251)

If there is no love of
God, fear of sin, and practice of social ethics, how can there be peace
in the world? (SS, Vol. 34, No. 6, June 1991, 151)

[Today] there is no
trace of humility and discipline [in] education. In the place of
character and good conduct, which should be prevalent among students, we
notice today the spread of materialism, ostentation and arrogance
amongst them. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 9, Sept. 1991, 249)

Developing insatiable
desires, the modern student is vitiating his mind. He lacks the capacity
for introspection. But his external vision is turned in all directions.
(SS, Vol. 34, No. 9, Sept. 1991, 249)

With no prospect of
getting jobs, educated young men are getting frustrated and mentally
upset and are turning into ... terrorists. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 9, Sept.
1991, 251)

What is the reason for
the lack of peace in the world today? It is because there is no harmony
of thought, word and deed in the lives of the people. (SS, Vol. 34, No.
1, Jan. 1991, 4)

Today ... because there
is no unity of thought, word and deed among men, Dharma (righteousness)
has declined. As a result science (Vijnaana) has lost its true form. The
nation's prosperity and well-being have been destroyed. Security has
become scarce. Morality and integrity have disappeared. Mammon-worship
reigns supreme. In the insane pursuit of wealth, men are losing their
morality and integrity. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 11, Nov. 1991, 302)

All people in the world
suffer from delusions of different kinds. Consequently they suffer from
various fears and hallucinations and have no peace of mind. The only way
to get rid of these delusions and fears is to practice love and realise
the divinity that is present in all beings. Once this spiritual unity of
all beings is recognised, the relevance of this truth for every sphere
of life - the physical, the social, the political, the economic, the
ethical and the spiritual - will become clear. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 1, Jan.
1991, 7)

Failure of Science
and Technology

With the rapid advance
of science and technology in the world, there is a corresponding decline
in peace and security. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 9, Sept. 1991, 249)

Science and technology
are undoubtedly necessary. But they should be utilized properly.
Scientists are trying to discover everything about the external world.
But they make no attempt to understand the truth about themselves. (SS,
Vol. 34, No. 6, June 199 1, 152

Mankind's problems today
cannot be solved by science and technology alone. Only a transformation
in the character of man can serve to solve the present crisis. (SS, Vol.
34, No. 6, June 1991, 151)

Spirituality in
Eclipse

In our daily life, we
are all the time involved in the pursuit of endless desires and are
immersed in sorrow. It must be realised that in such a life spirituality
is like a beacon that beckons man to a higher life. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 7,
July 1991, 175)

There can be no
refinement (of conduct) without spirituality. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 7, July
1991, 175)

Unfortunately, today
spirituality is in eclipse. Many refer to spirituality derisively. But
it is only those witless persons who are lost in the trivialities of the
mundane world who indulge in such derision. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 7, July
1991, 175)

Sai Baba and Nuclear
War

Today only the grace of
the Divine can save the country from the chaos and disorder in which it
is plunged. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 11, Nov. 1991, 303)

Only the power of the
Divine can save the world and not any tank or bomb or Government.
Therefore engage yourselves in prayer to God for the welfare of the
world. Always chant the name of the Lord. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 11, Nov.
1991, 302)

If atomic war [were to
take] place, then the whole of mankind shall be destroyed. To prevent
this, this Avatar will raise the conscience of man in such a manner that
he can be free from the feelings of hate, envy, anger, revenge and
violence. (SSSBFM, 1991, 224)

Sai has come in order to
achieve the supreme task of uniting as one family all of mankind,
through the bond of brotherhood; of affirming and illumining the Atmic
reality of each being in order to reveal the divine, which is the basis
on which the entire cosmos rests; and of instructing all to recognise
the common divine heritage that binds man to man, so that man can rid
himself of the animal, and rise into divinity, which is his goal. (SSSBFM,
1991, 119)

At this time, whatever
competitive spirit to destroy others is prevalent, it will be removed
and in its place co-operation shall be enthroned and thereby the world
war will be prevented. (SSSBFM, 1991, 224-5)

No Cataclysms Ahead

[Kasturi:] In
categorical terms, Bhagawan Baba repudiated, on February 13, [1991] at
Prashanthi Nilayam, certain reports circulated in various countries
attributing to Him predictions of various disasters facing the world in
the coming years. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 3, Mar. 1991, 63)

Some persons in overseas
countries as well as some people within India have been [saying] that
Swami has stated that in a short while the world will be deluged by a
great flood. [According to them] large areas will get submerged and ...
other disasters will overtake the world and many countries will suffer
very much. Such thoughts have never occurred to Swami and will never
occur. These are the fancies of ... idle minds. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 3,
Mar. 1991, 63)

In no circumstance
should devotees believe in such stories. Nor should they give them
currency by passing them on by word of mouth. ... It is a sign of
weakness to listen to such stories or discuss them. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 3,
Mar. 1991, 63)

Over the vast globe,
there may be some mishaps here and there, from time to time. The
Iran-Iraq conflict lasted ten years. You should not consider it a major
war. Even in India, terrorist activities have been going on in the
Punjab. Is it a major struggle? Some disgruntled individuals have been
resorting to these methods. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 3, Mar. 1991, 63)

Fear not, My children,
all will be well. Love and light will replace the darkness and a new era
will be upon you very soon. (SSSBFM, 1991, 110)

After the storm there
will be a completely different beginning and the atmosphere will be
completely different. It will be ... the age of love, harmony and
cooperation replacing the age of war ... hated ... and greed. (SSSBFM,
1991, 223)

Love and peace will ...
cleanse the horrors and excesses of the dark ages which today pollute
the very atmosphere. (SSSBFM, 1991, 10)

Life will change, it
will improve and you will experience richness in the quality of life
which has eluded you in the past. (SSSBFM, 1991, 221)

[Kasturi:] Let us wait
joyfully for the new world order, the Perfect Sai Order, not in a far
off future, but very soon, sooner than any human mind can comprehend,
looking at the present state of affairs in all walks of life. (SS, Vol.
34, No. 8, Aug. 199 1, 224)

Day of Awakening, Day of
Reckoning, Hour of God

The day of awakening is
not far away and when it comes there will be a revelation of the true
power of God [Gokak's 'Hour of God'?], a manifestation of the
omnipresence of the Lord. This will be the signal of a great move
forward and the weeding out of those who are [not] ready to accept the
challenge of the moment. (SSSBFM, 1991, 223)

Prema Sai

Prema Sai ... will work
ceaselessly for the good of the world and will establish love, goodwill,
and peace. His Name and Fame will reach every corner of the earth. He
will be the Universal Guru, the World Teacher, a Leader of leaders. ...
His Voice will be heard all over the world. He will receive universal
recognition and devotion and will directly lead the world towards truth,
love and peace. (SSAV, n.d., 34)

Role of India

India will be the leader
of the world in all respects - spiritually, culturally, socially,
politically and economically. (SSAV, n.d., 34)

[She will] play the role
of World Teacher. (SSSBFM, 1991, 224)

All her past glory,
culture and traditions will be revived and she will shine forth as the
leading nation of the world. This is how it was yugas [ages] ago
and this is how it will be once more. (SSAV, n.d., 34)

Responsibility of
Humanity

Now is the time for
change, change of vibration, change of ideals of consciousness. It is
achieved through closer links and better communication with God. Now is
the time to start. (SSSBFM, 1991, 222-3)

Transformation must
begin with the individual. When the individual changes, the world will
change. This transformation has to take to take place in the minds of
men. Right thoughts will lead to right actions. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 1,
Jan. 1991, 4)

To keep your minds pure
in such [an] environment [as today's world], fill your hearts with love
and keep your daily actions pure and unsullied. ... Avoid wasting of
food, time, money and energy. When you move in the outside world, your
life should be exemplary. Look upon God as your only true Friend. Follow
the dictates of your conscience. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 9, Sept. 1991, 252)

Shedding all fear, carry
on your work with courage and determination, without any worry about the
future, and plunge into service activities. If you act with this faith,
you will be able to serve the nation well. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 1, Jan.
1991, 10)

When there is
understanding and harmony in the family, peace will spread to the
community, and from there to the nation and the world. Unity confers joy
and peace. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 1, Jan. 1991, 4)

Forego Hankering for
Wealth and a High Standard of Living

What men have to aim at
is not wealth (sampada) but right conduct (samskara). Life is governed
by restraint at every stage. The eye cannot tolerate the glare of
blazing lights. The body cannot bear a rise in temperature. Anything in
excess is a cause of trouble. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 6, June 1991, 152)

There is a need to
acquire wealth for living. But excessive wealth is harmful. (SS, Vol.
34, No. 6, June 1991, 152)

Money earned by unworthy
means is nothing but dust. That wealth will be of no use to you.
Hoarding wealth is of no avail. Ill-gotten wealth is not truly yours.
There are four covetous elements waiting to get at it. The first entity
is the Government. In the name of some tax or law, the Government will
make a raid on the hoarded wealth. The second entity is fire: somehow or
other fire reaches the ill-gotten wealth and destroys it. The third
entity is a thief. The thief is after secreted wealth. Somehow he tries
to steal it. The fourth entity is disease. To deprive a person of his
ill-gotten wealth, disease seizes hold of him and makes him spend money
on treatment. Misers, who will not part with a paisa to a beggar, will
spend any amount on doctors and medicines. These are the ways in which
money earned by dishonest means is taken away. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 11,
Nov. 1991, 302)

Therefore, you ... who
are the Nation's hope for the future should rigorously eschew unfair
means to earn money, adhere to morality and integrity in your
professional life, uphold Dharma through love and truth and serve the
nation. Only then will the nation [of India] recover its ancient
greatness and glory. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 11, Nov. 1991, 302)

Live up to High
Ideals

It is not your
intellectual ability that will serve to protect the country. If you
adhere to Truth and Righteousness, they will protect both you and the
country. Live up to the truth of your being. Act righteously. (SS, Vol.
34, No. 1, Jan. 1991, 10)

All things in the world
are perishable. Mortality is the inescapable destiny of every man. But
the ideals for which men live and for which they are prepared to give up
their lives last for ever. Hence [everyone] should have great ideals and
try to live up to them. That is the secret of immortality. By [our]
exemplary lives, [we] should transform the world. This was the role of
Bharat in ancient times. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 6, June 1991, 151)

Whether it is Bharat or
any other country, its security lies in the promoting of right
attitudes. Who are our friends and who are our enemies? Our own good
thoughts are our friends. Our evil thoughts accompany us like shadows.
When our thoughts are purified, our lives will be transformed into ideal
ones. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 3, Mar. 1991, 63)

Engage in Service

Always remembering that
you are a fragment of the Divine, you have to engage yourselves in
service. No Government or other service Organisation has this attitude.
Only Sathya Sai Organisations can render service successfully in this
spirit. Very soon you will experience the bliss and peace to be got from
such service. Whatever the difficulties or obstacles, you are bound to
overcome them. These are incidental to any undertaking. Do not bother
about what has happened in the past. Get immersed in the tasks of the
present. Render service with a pure and selfless heart. The delight of
the individual gladdens the Divine. Equally the Divine esteems you. Do
everything with the Lord's name on your lips. Develop all that is good
in you and share that goodness with one and all. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 1,
Jan. 1991, 11)

How is the mind to be
purified? Through service to society with dedication and identification
with everyone. You have to cultivate this feeling of oneness with
all.... By engaging yourselves in service, you develop this sense of
oneness. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 1, Jan. 1991, 6)

Try to be helpful to
others in all your activities. There is no greater Sadhana or Pooja than
this. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 11, Nov. 1991, 302)

The spiritually realised
person will recognize the permanent that subsumes the changing entity.
Such a realisation can only come when a person is pure in thought, word
and deed. Purity must express itself in loving service. Help to the
needy has been described as the highest virtue (Punya). Harming others
has been condemned as a sin. Sai devotees must engage themselves in acts
of service, which will sanctify their lives. (SS, Vol. 34, No. 1, Jan.
1991, 7)

It is only when man is
filled with the spirit of service that his divine nature is revealed. He
then experiences the peace that passeth understanding. (SS, Vol. 34, No.
1, Jan. 1991, 4)

Sai Service
Organisations must grow in numbers and cover the entire country. Only
then [will] the country ... enter on an era of prosperity. (SS, Vol. 34,
No. 1, Jan. 1991, 10)

Don't Delay

Everyone should prepare
NOW for this change, for I promise you that it will come, and only those
who are ready will survive. (SSSBFM, 1991, 223)

Do not delay action to
put right your own life style and change it to the way of God. There is
no other way. (SSSBFM, 1991, 110)

Men will be My
Partners

Men will be partners in
My Sankalpa Shakti (Determination). (SSSBFM, 1991, 225)

All of you should play a
part in bringing forward the transformation [leading to the Golden Age]
and the instrument you should use is Love. (SSSBFM, 1991, 224)

I shall be grateful to
each child of mine who helps me in my task. (SSSBFM, 1991, 125)

[And] I will help you
all, for each one of you is helping My mission in one way or another.
Never doubt or have any fear. (SSSBFM, 1991, 114)

It Will Happen as I
Say

I have given the
warning. I have given My message a thousand times and no one who hears
My words can proclaim ignorance. (SSSBFM, 1991, 110)

What I will, must take
place; what I plan must succeed. (SSSBFM, 1991, 117)

It will be just so. Mark
my words. But few will listen, very few. (SSSBFM, 1991, 223)

1993

Humanness has reached
its nadir

Today every step of man
is marked by unrighteousness. Every word is tainted by untruth. His
thoughts are not free from evil. All his desires are rooted in
selfishness. ... In short, humanness has reached its nadir. (SS, Vol.
36, No. 12, Dec. 1993, 318.)

Nature is reflecting
the human condition

In various parts of the
world Nature is causing various disasters such as earthquakes, famines,
floods and volcanic eruptions. What is the reason? The spiritual lapses
of man account for these calamities. Disturbances in the heart (human
heart) are reflected in earthquakes. (SS, Vol. 36, No. 11, Nov. 1993,
292)

All the evil tendencies
that are manifest today are indications of the impending disasters. (SS,
Vol. 36, No. 12, Dec. 1993, 332)

Why do untoward events
happen? Only to promote what is good. They have a cleansing effect. (SS,
Vol. 36, No. 12, Dec. 1993, 332)

Very soon the Glory
of Sai will Spread

Very soon the glory of
Sai will spread to every part of the world. It will increase a thousand
fold. (SS, Vol. 36, No. 12, Dec. 1993, 333)

The winnowing

After the harvest when
the sheaves of grains are winnowed, the wind blows away all the chaff,
leaving only the grains behind. Through this process, the true devotees
will remain steadfast. The wavering puppets will drift away. This is the
process of winnowing. (SS, Vol. 36, No. 12, Dec. 1993, 333)

1997

My airplane about to
take off

When an airplane is
about to take off, it must first approach the runway. When it reaches
the runway, it must make a full turn in order to face the direction of
takeoff. This turn is navigated slowly by the aircraft. After the turn
has been completed, the airplane receives a signal from the tower and
begins to accelerate rapidly for takeoff. When the craft has reached
sufficient velocity, it leaves the ground. Swami's mission has made this
turn to face the runway. The 70th birthday was the signal from the tower
to accelerate. In the 75th birthday, the airplane will leave the ground.
(Sri Sathya Sai Newsletter, USA, 31, Winter 1996-1997, 29)

OM SAI RAM

Today the seeds are
still in the ground, slowly germinating, as the teachings of the Lord
begin to spread throughout the world and infiltrate the mind of man.
Soon those seeds will begin to grow, and what emerges will brighten the
world as the beauty of the absolute truth begins to reach so many
people. It is a process which takes time and the new Golden Age will
evolve gradually.

So you should live in
hope.... Let the divinity within shine forth and become one of the great
beacons to light up the world and hasten the arrival of the new Golden
Age. It is there now for some, those enlightened souls who have already
reached the state of God realisation. It is that awakened state that
will lead to the new age. (SMFYM, II, 1988, 71)